This great cult will be administered by priestly officers who will organize a scientific school of moral and religious education; keep themselves in readiness for personal consultation; devise exercises in public worship, simple and quiet at times, at other times brilliant and majestic; and keep open welcome to the prophetic voices of the day, whether of scientist, reformer, or artist. This great cult will be the record and consummation of the national ideals, the pictured description of the national life, the supreme and harmonized utterance of the voice of the age. This great cult will be rooted firmly in the primary sensational approach to human nature, but it will flower in the spiritual and sacramental realization of the divine nature of persons. This great cult will be housed in a building made with hands but which by its very style and tone will intimate both the near and far presence of Divinity. The time draws near when it should be possible to construct such a great Cultus, on the one hand freed of authoritative and legalistic formularies; and on the other free, by competent technique and the mastery of its joyous forms, to spread the influence of the noblest ideals in the social life. The Church of the Future will heal the breach between religion and the ancient categories of truth, goodness, and beauty. Yet the worship of the new age will be not less but more religious in spirit, not less but more Christian in essential character. If the spur of the scientist is the love of truth, the joy of the Christian is the Truth of Love. If the zeal of the moralist strives to achieve some association or brotherhood of goodness, the joy of the Christian is the Goodness of Brotherhood. If the satisfaction of the artist is the life of beauty, the joy of the Christian is the Beauty of Life, all life, man's life, the Life of God. I Appendix T would require a volume properly to collate and criticise in detail the various orders of worship amongst the free churches. I am appending therefore only the simple orders used in our own church, the regular Ordinary, and the order for the celebration of the Lord's Supper. The usual Sunday morning order, as will be readily observed, is very simple. It is designed to follow the course of experience as outlined in chapters fifteen and sixteen. The Organ Prelude and Processional Hymn are, as suggested, introductory in character. The burden of Presentation is entirely carried by the Introit, which for every service has about the character of those printed in chapter seventeen. The second principal liturgical division, the Prayer of Penitence, is the Prayer of Confession taken from the Fiftyfirst Psalm. The third element, that of Praise, is chiefly expressed by the Anthem. Sometimes a hymn of praise takes its place. This note of Praise, that is, the upward swing of the pendulum of attention, in the swift alternations which so typically characterize the mystic experience, is further impressed and sustained a little later by the Doxology and the Gloria Patri. The definite mental and moral content to be realized and readjusted in the experience of Illumination, is suggested in the Scripture Readings and pastoral Prayer. The illumined outlook is then led to congregational expression in a Confession of Faith. Our present material is taken from I John and from Romans. A definite suggestion of personal Dedication is made in connection with the Offertory by a Scripture verse, freshly chosen for each service, and by a consecration prayer as the offering is received. The emotional course is then more or less neutralized by the hymn preceding the sermon, which thus prepares the way for fresh attention to the explicit thought of the day. This thought has already been prepared for or intimated by the Introit, Scriptures, and Prayers. Two other items should be mentioned, which indeed are extremely important. The little responsive benedictions and ejaculations after the prayer of confession, serve to graduate the mood between penitence and praise. A brief gradual of organ playing leads from the mental interest of the Scripture lessons to the reiterated praise of the Doxology. The Communion Order is in part about the same. In the one herewith published the traditional words were sung in the Gloria in Excelsis, Benedictus, Te Deum, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Nunc Dimittis. Although most of the prayers are free and extemporaneous, usually the ancient Communion Collect is used at some place. Sometimes a traditional prayer is said at the Offertory. The Communion Admonition commonly includes the suggestions contained in the Orate Fratres and Sursum Corda. The Prayer of Thanksgiving opens and closes with the words of the traditional Preface. ORGAN PRELUDE PROCESSIONAL HYMN INTROIT PRAYER OF CONFESSION Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy lovingkindness. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly from cur iniquity, and cleanse us from our sin. Against thee have we sinned and done evil in thy sight. Create in us clean hearts, O God; and renew a right spirit within us. Cast us not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from us. Restore unto us the joy of thy salvation; And uphold us with thy free spirit.-Amen. MINISTER-The Lord be with you. PEOPLE-And with thy spirit. MINISTER-Praise ye the Lord. ANTHEM PRAYER SCRIPTURE READING THE DOXOLOGY CONFESSION OF FAITH God is love; and every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God. We have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also. The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. THE GLORIA PATRI OFFERTORY HYMN SERMON THE BENEDICTION-The Congregation Seated. RECESSIONAL HYMN ORGAN POSTLUDE ORGAN PRELUDE PROCESSIONAL HYMN INTROIT PRAYER OF CONFESSION Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy lovingkindness. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly from our iniquity, and cleanse us from our sin. Against thee have we sinned and done evil in thy sight. Create in us clean hearts, O God; and renew a right spirit within us. Cast us not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from us. Restore unto us the joy of thy salvation; And uphold us with thy free spirit.-Amen. MINISTER-The Lord be with you. PEOPLE-And with thy spirit. MINISTER-Praise ye the Lord. PRAYER EPISTLE GRADUAL-Benedictus. GOSPEL THE DOXOLOGY CONFESSION OF FAITH God is love; and every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God. We have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also. The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. THE GLORIA PATRI RECEPTION OF MEMBERS ANTHEM-Te Deum. SERMON OFFERTORY COMMUNION ADMONITION PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING and SANCTUS THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION PRAYER OF CONSECRATION and the LORD'S PRAYER -Nunc Dimittis. THE BENEDICTION-The Congregation Seated. CHORAL AMEN-Silent Meditation. |